Chapter 109
Listening to the voice in her ear, Xie Mi kept chewing her fried chicken, lost in thought.
Bad news: Xu Shuangrong seems to have bound herself to a system.
Good news: She can hear Xu Shuangrong’s conversations with that system.
Right now, she was being roasted alive by Xu Shuangrong and the system right in front of her face.
[System: That’s right, it’s Xie Mi.]
[System: According to the original plot, she shouldn’t have joined the show. Instead, while you and Xiao Jingxi were being lovey-dovey on the show, she would have clung to him like a resentful woman, only to be cruelly discarded by him in the end.]
[System: But now, the outsider has replaced the original Xie Mi.]
[Xu Shuangrong: So she stole everything that should have belonged to me?]
[System: Yes.]
[Xu Shuangrong: How could she have that ability? Don’t tell me she’s also bound to a system?]
[System: I suspect she’s bound to a transmigration system. Under its guidance, she’s been changing the plot step by step, trying to make herself the female lead.]
Xie Mi: “?”
So? Wowow… really, dude?
[Xu Shuangrong: I knew it.]
Xie Mi: “???”
No sis, what exactly did you know? Nothing the system just said was correct!
[Xu Shuangrong: Then what should I do now? How do I get rid of the transmigrator?]
[System: Make the story return to its original track. Make Xie Mi meet the ending she was supposed to have.]
[System: I’ll transmit the original story to you. It will also contain the personalities and traits of other characters, which you can use to win them over.]
[System: Story transmission progress 10%… 20%… 50%… 100%.]
[System: Transmission successful.]
[Xu Shuangrong: Wait, why isn’t Shen Yanqing included?]
At that, Xie Mi immediately sharpened her focus and squinted her eyes, staring intently at Shen Yanqing.
Here it comes, here’s the key.
Shen Yanqing’s identity was also a huge mystery to her.
Maybe this system would give her an answer.
Shen Yanqing, leaning casually on the sofa while tapping away at his laptop, noticed her stare. He looked up, met her eyes, and his lips curled slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
Xie Mi reacted quickly, immediately changing the subject. “Why aren’t you eating?”
Shen Yanqing glanced meaningfully at the table, where the food had almost been swept clean.
“If I eat too, will you still have enough?”
“…you get me.”
He chuckled. “Eat up, greedy girl.”
Xie Mi obediently kept chomping down, though her ears stayed sharp, pricked like antennae.
After two seconds of silence, the system finally replied to Xu Shuangrong’s question.
[System: Who is Shen Yanqing?]
Xie Mi: “?”
[Xu Shuangrong: ?]
[Xu Shuangrong: The guy sitting right across from Xie Mi. His influence is huge, both domestically and abroad, and even in the show he’s a major presence. You’re telling me you don’t know him? Are you really a system?]
[System: …]
[System: I didn’t find his existence in the original story.]
[Xu Shuangrong: Could he be a transmigrator too?]
[System: I didn’t detect any outsider information on him.]
[Xu Shuangrong: ???]
[Xu Shuangrong: Are you kidding me? Then who the hell is he?]
[System: Sorry. I can’t detect any information on him. It’s strange—he shouldn’t exist in this story.]
Xie Mi’s chewing slowed, and she started looking at Shen Yanqing with more curiosity.
Not a transmigrator, but also not supposed to exist in the plot.
What, did Shen Yanqing just pop out of a crack in the rocks?
[Xu Shuangrong: …]
[Xu Shuangrong: Then what should I do? With him around, it’s hard for me to act against Xie Mi.]
[System: Then sow discord between them.]
[Xu Shuangrong: But their CP fandom is huge. If I do that, I’ll be hacked to death by rabid shippers.]
[System: Then find yourself a scapegoat. You’re good at using others, aren’t you?]
[Xu Shuangrong: …Xiao Jingxi?]
[System: You’re smart. I think you know what to do.]
[System: But before that, we need to do one thing.]
[Xu Shuangrong: What?]
[System: Test Xie Mi.]
[System: I have three chances to eavesdrop on someone’s thoughts, but the condition is—you need to touch her.]
[System: I need to use her inner thoughts to probe into her and the transmigration system.]
[Xu Shuangrong: Got it.]
The conversation ended there.
Xie Mi looked around and finally spotted Xu Shuangrong coming out of the restroom.
Ah, so she’d been hiding there. Figures.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Xie Mi said.
Not minding giving Xu Shuangrong this chance to eavesdrop, she cooperatively got up and started walking toward the restroom.
But her wrist was gently tugged.
Shen Yanqing’s voice was low and magnetic, with a slight upward lilt that carried tenderness.
“Teacher Xie, where are you off to?”
His eyes fell to the table.
In front of him sat a full meal of fried chicken, cola, and fries.
“I saved it for you.”
Xie Mi waved it off. “It was yours to begin with, I can’t just eat everything by myself.”
He paused for a beat. “Are you being polite with me, Teacher Xie?”
“I just don’t want you to go hungry!”
She huffed, pulled her hand free, and walked off.
Shen Yanqing sat stunned for a moment, then smiled with warmth as if touched by spring.
He normally never ate that kind of food.
But tonight… somehow, it looked strangely tempting.
Xu Shuangrong had just stepped out of the restroom when she saw Xie Mi approaching.
Startled, she quickly turned back in, pretending to still be washing her hands.
“Oh, what a coincidence, you came for a midnight snack too?”
Xie Mi naturally started washing her hands in the sink next to her.
“Mm, what a coincidence.”
[System: Perfect chance.]
[System: Each eavesdrop lasts only 30 seconds. To avoid wasting it, test her first—say something to make her suspicious.]
Xu Shuangrong understood right away.
She casually said, “I heard your name wasn’t on the original guest list. What made you suddenly decide to join this show?”
“To find a 185cm athlete with an eight-pack and date him.”
Xu Shuangrong: “?”
[System: She’s cautious. No matter, keep testing.]
Xu Shuangrong shut off the faucet, slowly dried her hands with a paper towel, and gave Xie Mi a sidelong glance.
“Do you remember we met once at an event last year? Back then you were still so shy. You’ve completely changed now.”
She chuckled lightly, staring into Xie Mi’s eyes with meaning.
“Tell me, do you think people can really change that much in such a short time?”
Xie Mi jolted, clutched her chest, and staggered back two steps, staring at Xu Shuangrong in disbelief.
[System: Now! Let me eavesdrop on her thoughts!]
Xu Shuangrong’s gaze sharpened instantly. She lunged forward and grabbed Xie Mi’s wrist.
And at that moment, both she and the system heard Xie Mi’s inner voice—
[Xie Mi: Meow.]
